Apparatus for filing documents and the like



Feb. 2 1926. V1,571,187

l w. R. M. DE WHALLEY APPARATUS FOR FILING DOCUMENTS AND THE LIKEFledebf 26,- 1924-J,

INYENTOR Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PAT-ENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ROBERT MURAD DE WI'IALLEY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGrNOR TORONEO LIMITED, 0F LONDON, ENGLAND, A COMPANY 0F GREAT BRITAIN.

APPARATUS FOR FILING DOCUMENTS AND THE LIKE.

Application led February The present invention relates to improvementsin apparatus for tiling documents and the like in cabinet drawers orlike compartments.

As is well known, when a drawer of a filing cabinet is loaded withcorrespondence there is a tendency, when a folder containingcorrespondence is removed, for the aperture to be closed owing to theexpansion of the remaining folders. Moreover, it is in some casesnecessary before removing a folder or inspecting a letter to ush all thefolders and correspondence in ont of the desired folder towards thefront of the drawer, and to return a folder with its contents, `or aletter to its place in the folder, a similar process vis againnecessary. This continual pushing or pulling over of the folders causesdamage to the top edges of the guide cards and folders, and moreover,there is a tendency for the folders to ride up from the bottom of thedrawer so that the drawer with its guide cards'and folders containingthe correspondence presents an untidy appearance.

Now the object of the present invention is to overcome thesedisabilities by providing means for dividing up batches of folders andcorrespondence into compartments or sections by spacer members which arepivotally attached in the channel in the bottom of the drawer so thatthey are free to be moved to any position in the drawer and can beturned on their pivots to a forward or rearward inclined position.

l1n conjunction with saidl pivotally attached spacer bars there isprovided an adjustable locking stop which acts behind the rearwardspacer member.

Furthermore, one of the spacer members is provided with a hinged flapwhich no1'- mally acts in conjunction with the channel formed in thebottom of the drawer to allow the foremost spacer member to be turned toits forwardly inclined position.

In well-known metal filing cabinets the 26, 1924. Serial No. 695,146.

base of each drawer is provided with a oentra'lly disposed channelextending the length of the drawer, and in this channel is securedA ahousing for a compresser member which may be adjusted to any position inthe drawer. The said housing comprises a strip of metal formed withupward- 1y and inwardly bent flanges within which the compresser memberslides.

Now accordingto the present invention, the compresser member may bedispensed with, and the guide or housing in the channel is used inconjunction with the spacer members and the locking stop.

The invention will now be fully described by reference to theaccompanying drawmgs whereonz Fig. l shows an elevational view of 4adrawer containing the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of one'of the spacer members.

Fi 4 is a similar view of the spacer mem er with the pivoted flapportion.

5 is a side view of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view of the drawer channel showing theadjustable locklng device and one of the spacer members.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the adjustable locking device.

On the drawings 1 is the drawer of a steel filing cabinet, the base ofwhich is provided with the centrally disposed channel 2 extending thelength of the'drawer, and within which is secured a housing 3, the .saidhousing comprising a base part 4, uprlghts 5 and fianged-over portions6.

The spacer members 7 are formed from sheet metal of a width rather lessthan the wldth of the drawer and a depth greater than the depth of thedrawer.

s rlhe bottom edge of each spacer member 1s plrovided with asubstantially inverted T-s aped iange 8, while the top edge is formedinto a tubular or like shape 9 by bending the" edge of the sheet, thesaid tubular edge being substantially wider than the rest o the member,as shown, so that it projects slightly over the edges of the drawer oneach side.

The adjustable locking stop 10 is formed from a strip of metal havingflanges 11 adapted to t in the flanges 6 of the housing or guide 3secured to the channel 2 in the bottom of drawer 1, and the said stripof metal is bored out centrally and tapped for the reception vof a thumbscrew 12.

The inverted T-shaped flange 8' of one of thespacer members 7 isprovided with one or more slots 18 in which is freely hinged a flap 14,the free end of which may be bent into tubular form 15, the whole of theflap portion being so constructed that when in use it lies within theguide 3 the foremost edge or tubular portion 15 abutting against thefront of the drawer 1, and thereby spacing the foremost spacer member atsuch a distance from .the front of the drawer that it can be turned in aforward direction at an angle to the bottom of the drawer as shown inFig. 2.

In assembling the apparatus, each spacer member 7 is presented to thedrawer 1 at an angle diagonal to the bottom of the drawer so that theinverted T-shaped flange 8 formed on each member can be introduced intothe guide or housing 3 and when cach flange 8 is inserted within theguide the spacer member 7 is turned so that its face is at right anglesto the bottom of the drawer, and when released it falls into a rearwardslope, the projecting tubular or similarly shaped ed es 9 resting uponand slightly overhanging t e sides of the drawer 1.

In assembling the spacer members in the manner described it is to beunderstood that the member 7 having pivoted thereto the flap 14 isplaced in the foremost position in the drawer see Figs. 1 and 2. Whenall the spacer members 7 are assembled in a drawer, the guide cards, andfolders 16 containing the correspondence or other matter to be filed` isplaced behind the foremost spacer member, and in front of and behindsucceeding spacer members, terminating in front of the final spacermember, behind which is fitted the adjustable locking stop 10, which isintroduced-into the guide 3 in the same manner as the spacer members 7and is locked in position by turning the thumb screw 12 which causes theflanges 11 to abut against the flanges 6 of the guide 3.

The spacer members 7 can be moved along the guide 3 to take up anyposition in the drawer 1.

When it is desired to refer to any folder the guide cards and folders 16immediately in front of the desired folder are turned in a forwarddirection see Fig. 2 thereby leaving a substantially V-shaped opening,so that easy access to any folder is obtained, and correspondence can beinspected or filed away in a quicker and neater manner than hitherto hasbeen the case.

When each compartment behind the rst spacer member and in front of thelast spacer member is filled up with correspondence the compartmentformed between the front of the drawer and the first spacer member maybe utilized since the distance flap 14 lies completely within the guide,but it will be understood that if correspondence be inserted in thisfirst compartment the guide cards and folders will then be in asubstantially vertical position and consequently the V-shaped openingwill not be so well maintained when the filing Iapparatus 1s 1n use.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States is as follows 1. .For use with filingcabinets of the type specified, a series of division or spacer members,an adjustable locking stop separate from said spacer members and formedfrom -a, strip of metal having flanges adapted to .fit in the channel ofthe drawer, the said strip of metal being bored out centrally and tappedto receive a thumb screw for adjusting the stop in the drawer the saidstop being housed within the channel of the drawer so that the flange ofthe last of the series of division or spacer member abuts against theflanged portions of the stop.

2. For use with filing cabinets of the type specified, a division memberformed from sheet metal the bottom edge of each member being providedwith a substantially inverted T-shaped flange and a flap hingedlysecured to said flanged portion, the said flap acting in conjunctionwith the channel or guide formed in the bottom of the drawer to |allowthe foremost spacer member to be turned to its forwardly inclinedposition, and determining the position of the said member in the drawer.j

3. For use with filing cabinets of the type specified, division orspacer members' formed with flanges to engage in the channel in thedrawer, the Harige of one of said members being slotted and a flapmember formed with a bead or rolled edge at one end and hook elementsadapted to engage and be retained in the slots formed in the flange ofone of the said spacer members, the beaded or rolled edge limiting theforward movement of the spacer member in the drawer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WllllAM ROBERT MURAD de WHALLEY.

